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HIRAM W. NEARY, OF PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO HIM SELF AND NATHANIEL SCHENOK, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No.787,584, dated March'Q, 1869.

To all it ma/y conccrm.'

Be it known that I, HIRAM W. NEARY, of Princeton, New Jersey, have invented an Improved forliu Bench; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

`My invention consists, first, of a sliding block, adapted to the side of a work-bench, and to .the vise, as fully described hereafter, so as to adapt the bench to the uses of both carpenters and cabinet-makers and It consists, secondly, of certain improvements, fully described hereafter, in the 'construction and operation of the vise.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a partof this specication, and in which--I Figure l is an end view of my improvedwork-bench.

Figure 2, the same, partly in section.

Figures 3 and 4, perspective'views, in different positions, of a portion of the'bench.

Figures 5 and 6, longitudinal and transverse sections of parts of the bench.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

'Ihe frame of the bench isf constructed inthe usual manner, consisting of 4a top, A, and of side-pieces B and B', which are supported upon legs c c', te., braced together by cross-pieces a, a;

A portion of the side-piece B is cut away for the reception of'a block, D,- Which is `arranged to slidelongitudinally in guides b b, iig. 6, its motion being limited a projection, c, on its upper edge, which enters a recess, f, formed in the front of the bench. (See figs. 3 and 4.) p

The screw F, by which the jaw H of the vise is operated, lits loosely in, and is arranged to slide longitudinally through openings formed in the leg c, and in an upright, g, which is secured to the cross-pieces a, a.

A nut, J, having internal threads corresponding to those cut upon the screw, is arranged to turn upon the latter, being confined longitudinally between the leg c and upright; and the nut is provided near its rear end with a wheel cyr-disk, I, having on its face, 'near to the rim, a number of projections, h, for a purpose described hereafter.

A collar, L, provided with a rod or handle, t', is tted loosely over the nut J, and is bevelled at its front end, so that it may be moved to the inclined position shown in g. 2, and its rod turned outward from the path of the projections h of the disk. i

The lower end of the jaw E of the vise is steadied by a bar, K, which passes through and slides inv the leg ofthe bench, and in the upright g and on the upper edge of this bar is a-ratchet, l, with which,.un

der the circumstances described hereafter, engages a pawl-lever, m, hung to the upright g, and actuated by a weight, q, which has a tendency to raise the pawl clear of the teeth of the ratchet.

The pawl is also' operated in such a manner as to cause it to engage with the teeth of the ratchet, by a strap or cord, s, which passes upwards, vvand through eyes or staples t t, secured to the under side of the` top of the bench.

When it is desired to move the jaw of the vise, the

weight, allowed to disengage itself from the teeth oi" the ratchet on the barK, the latter being then free to slide in either direction vas the jaw moves.

The jawis moved from or towards the side of the bench by turning the nut J, which, being held between the upright g and leg c, causes the screw'to be moved longitudinally, vand without turning, as will be readily understood o'n reference to tig. 2.

The nut itself is turned by means ofits disk I and the handled sleeve L, the latter turning upon the nut as a pivot, while its handle is caused to bear upon one side of each of `the projections h in succession, and thus guru the disk in the required direction. (Sec 5. gWhen a piece of work is to be grasped between the jaw H and the side ofI the block D, tig. 4, the jaw is lirst moved outward sufficiently for the introduction of the work, the strap s being then tightened, and the pawl m caused to engage with the ratchet l, which will prevent thebar K from being driven back.

The jaw H, thus held at its lower end, is moved to- 4ward and caused to grasp the work between its upper end and the block D, by operating the nut J and screw, in the manner above described, the gripe being firmer andmore certain than if the bar K were allowed to Vslide as usual.

In` an ordinary carpenters bench, the vise is secured to the outside, as seen in iig. 4, and is only adapted for grasping large and rough'work, while in a cabinet- "makers bench, the vise intended for finer work closes into a recess in the side ofthe bench, as seen in g. 3, and cannot be used for work for which the carpenters bench is adapted.

By means, however, of the sliding piece D, I am enabled to adapt my improved bench and its vise to any kind of work, the sliding block, when moved back, as shown in iig. 3, opening the recess f, into which the jaw H enters snugly, while by moving it in a contrary direction, and filling up the recess, as seen in g. 4, a bench adapted for carpenters work is obtained.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A work-bench, having a recess adapted for the reception of the jaw H, andan adjustable block D, sliding in said recess, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

-2. rlhe jaw H, with its screw F, arranged upon a bench, substantially as described, iu combination with 2 y a nut,J,having projections h, and with a lever, i, hung In testimony whereof', I have signed my name to to the screw F, for operating the nut,substantia.11y as this specification, in the presence of two 'subscribing specified. witnesses..

3. The jaw H, its screw F, and guide K, the pawl Witnesses: HIRAM W.NEARY. m, weight q, straps s, and 'staples t t, all onstructed W. W. DOUGHERTY,

and arranged asset forth. C. B. PRICE. 

